River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-12-08


stantly reminded of the manner in which they
impose burden uFon those VINO consume do
nestle products as well as those who consume
Inn orted articles, and thus create tax upon
ali our people.
1t Is not proposed to enti-eIy relieve the
country OF this taxation. IL must be extern
siyely continued as the source or the Govern
ments income; and in "a REIMBURSEMENT Of
our tariff the interests Of American labor
engaged In manufacture should be care
fully considered, as well as the preserve
tion OF our manufacturers II may be called
protection, or by any other name, but
relief from the hardships aud dangers OF our
present tariff laws should be devised with
espec al preeaution against imperiling the ex-
lstence OF our manufacturing interests. But
ton which, without regard to the pub
lib welfare or a national exigency, must al
ways insure the real cation OF immense profits
instead " moderately profitable returns. AS he
volume and diversity OF our National activities
increase, new recruits are added TO those who
desire continuation OF the advantages which
they conceive the present system of tarid
taxation directly affords them. So stub
bOrnly have all efforts TO reform the present
condition been resisted by those OF our fellow
citizens thus engaged, that they can hardly
complain OF the susp on, entertained TO a GER
tain extent that there exists an organized COM
bination all along the line to maintain their ad-
vantage.
We are in the midst of centennial celebra-
tons and with becoming pride we rejoice in
American skill and ingenuity in American en-
ergy and enterprise, ana IA the wonderful nat
oped by a century's National growth.
Yet when an attempt is made 10
Justify scheme which permits a tax 70 be
laid upon every consumer in the land for the
benefit OF our manufacturers, quite beyond a
reasonable demand for governmental regard
IL suits the purposes OF advocacy 20 call our
manufactures infant Industries, still needing
the highest and greatest degree OF favor and
fostering care that can be wFung from Federal
leg slatlon.
1t is also said that the increase in the price
OF domestic manufactures resulting from
the present tarin is necessary IN order that
higher wages may be paid 10 our working
men employed in manufactures than are
paid Tor what is called the pauper labor
OF Europe. All Will acknowledge the force
OF an argument which involves the
welfare and liberal compensation OF
our laboring people. Our labor is honorable in
the eyes Of every American citizen, and as II
lies at the foundation OF our development and
progress, 1t is entitled, without afeetation or
hypocrisy. TO the utmost regard. The standard
OF our laborers' life should not be measured by
that OF any other country less favored. and they
are entitled TO their full share OF all our ad-
vantages
BY the last census il is made 10 appear that
OF the i9.s9s,09s OF our population engaged in
all kinds OF Industries. 7,67J.493 are employed
In agriculture, 4.U74,2 III professional aud per
sonal service i2,S34,S16 OF whom are domestic
servants and laborersl while l,sIO, 256 are EN-
ployed in trade and transportation and s37, l12
are elassed as employed IN manufacturing and
min ng.
For present purposes, however. the last num-
Without attempting to enumerate all, IL will
be conceded that there should be deducted
from those which IL includes 375 l4s carpenters
anu loiners, %, 401 millners, dressmakers and
seamstresses, Ia, 7-6 blaeksmIths, l3 756 talors
and talloresses, 1O2, 473 maSons, 76 24i butchers
u 800 bakers, Ross plasterers, and 4Ss1 engag-
ed IN manufacturing agricultural implements,
amounting in the aggregate 70 l,2i4,023, leaving
2,623O69 persons employed in such manu-
be benefited by a high tariff. To these
the appeal is made to save their en-
ployment and maintain their wages By
resisting change. There should be no dis
position TO answer such suggestions by the ale
cation that they are in a minority among those
who labor, and therefore should forego an ad-
vantage, in the interest OF low prices for the
majority; their compensation, as il may be az
iected by the operation of tariff laws, should at
all times be scrupulously kept in view
and yet with slight reflection they will not over
look the fact that they are consumers with the
rest; that they, too, have their own wants and
those Of their families to supply from their
earnings, and that the price OF the neeessaries
OF life, as well as the amount OF their wages
will regulate the measure of their welfare and
comfort
But the reduction OF taxation demanded
should be so measured as not To necessitate or
justify either the loss of employment by the
workingman nor the lessening Of his wages; and
the profits stlil remaining to the manufacturer
after q necessary readlustment, should fur
interests OF his employees either in their oppor-
tunity 10 work or in the diminution OF their
features fail TO understand that while high
tarlff is claimed TO be necessary to allow the
payment OF remunerative wages, IL certainly
results in very large increase in the price
of nearly all sorts OF manufactures,
which, in almost countless forms, he needs for
the use of himself and his family. He receives
at the desk OF his employer his wages, and per
haps before he reaches his home Is obliged, in
purchase for family use of an article which en-
braces his own labor, TO return, in the payment
of the increase In price which the tariff per-
ndrQ-earne0 cOmnenSat10l
days OF toll.
The farmer and the agriculturist who manu-
faCture moth ng, but who pay the increased
pr ce which the tariff imposes, upon every agri-
cultural implement, upon all he wears and upon
all he uses and owns, except the increase of his
hocSs and herds and such thinys as his hus-
bandry produces from the soil, is invited TO
aid in maintaining the present situation and
he is told that a high duty on imported wool is
necessary for the benefit OF those who have
sheep TO shear, in order that the price OF their
wool may be increased. They, OF course are
not reminded that the farmer who has no sheep
is by this scheme obliged in his purchases OF
TO his fellow farmer as well as TO the
manufacturer and merchant, nor is any men
tion made Of the fact that the sheep-owners
themselves and their households must wear
clothing and use other articles manufactured
from the wool they sell at tariff pr ees, and
thus, as consumers, must return their share OF
this increased price to the tradesman.
I think it may be fairly assumed that large
proportion Of the sheep owned by the farm ers
throughout the country are found in small
docks numbering from twenty-five TO fifty.
The duty on the grade of Imported wool
which these sheep yield is 10 cents each
pound If of the value of 30 cents or less, and
IL cents If Of the value of more than Oceuts n
the liberal estimate of six pounds be allowed
for each fleece, the duty thereon would be sixty
or seventy-two cents, and this may be taken as
the utmost enhancement OF Its price TO the
farmer by reason OF this duty. Eighteen dol
lars would thus represent the increased price
OF the wool from twenty-five sheep. and $50
huf hn Of fsw md At
present values this addition would amount TO
about one-third OF its price. II, upon its sale,
the farmer receiYes this or q less tariff profit,
the wool leaves his hands charged with precisely
that sum, which in all its changes will adhere TO
T. until II reaches the consumer. When manu-
featured into cloth and other goods and mateTi-
al for use, its cost is not only increased 10
the extent Of the farmers tariff profit. but
further sum has been added for the benefit of
the manufacturer under the operation of other
tariff laws. In the meantime, the day arrives
when the farmer finds il necessary 10 purchase
wooden goods and material 10 clOthe himself
and family for the winter When he faces
the tradesman for that purpose he discovers
that he is Obliged not only TO return, in the
way of increased prices, his tar Il profit on the
wool he sold, and which then perhaps lies be
fore him In manufactured form. but that he
must add a considerable sum thereto to meet
further increase in cost caused by tariff duty
on the manufacture. Thus in the end he Is
aroused 10 the fact that he has paid upon
moderate purchase, as a result OF the tariff
scheme-whIeh, when he sold his wool, seemed
so profitable an increase in price-more than
sufficient TO sweep away all the tariff profit he
received upon the wool he produced and sold.
When the number OF farmers engaged IN
wool-raising is compared with all the farmers
in the country, and the small proportion they
bear to our population is considered; when IL
is made apparent that in the case OF
a large part OF those who own sheep, the
benefit OF the present tariff on wool is IL
luSory; and, above all, when ~ must be con-
coded that the increase OF the cost OF liv-
ing caused by such tariff becomes burden
upon those with moderate means and the poor,
the employed and unemployed, the sick and
well, and the young and old, and that 1t CON
stitutes q tax which, with relentless grasp. is
fastened upon the clothing Of every man, wom-
an and child in the land, reasons are suggested
why the removal or reduction OF this duty
should be included in revision OF our tartn
laws.
In speaking OF the increased cost 10 the con-
sumner of our home manufactures. resulting
from duty laid upOE imported articles OF the
same description. the fact is not overlooked that
competition among our domestic producers
sonnet mes has the effect Of keeping the price OF
their products below the highest limit allowed
by such duty. But II is notorious that this COM
petition is too often strangied by combinations
quite prevalent at this time and freque-tly
called trusts which have for their object the
regulation of the supply and price Of commOdi-
ties made and sold by members OF the combina-
ton. The people can hardly hope for any con
sderation in the operation OF these selfish
schemes
II, however, in the absence OF such combina-
ton, healthy and free competition reduces
the price OF any particular dutiable article OF
home production below the limit which II N ght
otherw Sc reach under our tariff laws, and H.
with such reduced price, its manufacture con
tinnes TO III. ~e, IL is entirely evident that one
thing has ! discovered which should Oe
carefully ser atinized in an effort 20 reduce taxa
ton.
The necessity Of combination to maintain the
prlce OF any commodity to the tariff point fur